The "death" threads

[Camp]

I'm a bit weirded out by the stream of death threads which pop up in "Controller Down" when a celebrity or semi-celebrity kicks the bucket. I'm posting this as a check of my own sanity -not to poke fun or disrespect anyone's feelings about the passing of another being.

 

I just find the outpouring of emotion in the death threads odd. It's as if we really knew the person. Is it odd that I don't get worked up over the death of some random TV personality? I'm curious to know how many of those posts of sympathy are real and how many are entered just because it's the "right thing to do".

 

I generally stay out of the threads because they are filled with sorrow and just don't strike me as particularly fun to read. For a forum as consistantly funny as this one I'm surprised that these threads appear off limits to any attempt to use humor to lighten up the topic. The Steve Irwin thread is rife for humor opportunities yet, after reading the thread, I wonder what kind of sicko I must be for even considering it. I can't be the only one who's first response is to rush into these threads and be slightly tasteless...can I?

 

One particular response in that thread is filled with such emotion (unwarranted ) that I'm not sure if I'm even going to post this. I guess my response is to balance the loss with humor. I don't see that as disrespectful or wrong. I guess it wouldn't be welcome here though, huh?

[The Daisy]

I feel the same way about the "death threads" that I feel about the "Where were you when..." threads. Both, in my opinion, are pointless. (Of course Keith's virginity thread is meant that way, so it truly accomplishes what it means to.)

 

I just tend to ignore them like Camp does.

 

Glen

[Josh]

Depends on the subject matter. Sometimes they can get pretty sappy and overly serious and sensitive which may make some people uncomfortable, but if people want to talk things out or express emotions, there's no problem with that in my book.

 

I'd rather people here be able to express themselves than try to turn everything into a joke or some manly avoidance of the issue at hand.

 

If you don't like it, just try to be sensitive to those who do and try not to judge. Nothing wrong with either approach, in my opinion.

[Robot Monkey]

I totally agree with you, Camp, and stay out of those threads for the same reasons. I knew a particularly appalling person who passed away recently. I didn't go to his funeral, but I understand that there were a lot of people there -- who didn't know him too well -- talking about what a wonderful person he was.

[Romier S]

Is it odd that I don't get worked up over the death of some random TV personality? I'm curious to know how many of those posts of sympathy are real and how many are entered just because it's the "right thing to do".

It's not odd at all, Camp. I don't really get worked up over the death of a celebrity.The recent death of Tony Jay was one that came as a shock more than anything because I so enjoyed his work over the years. I think we all empathize with one another when we read the news. It's hard to be entirely emotional or even 100% genuine about the issue because as you said, alot of us don't really know these people personally.

 

The Steve Irwin thread is rife for humor opportunities yet, after reading the thread, I wonder what kind of sicko I must be for even considering it. I can't be the only one who's first response is to rush into these threads and be slightly tasteless...can I?

Personally, humor never bothered me any. I mean I walked into work today and was bombarded with crocodile hunter jokes. Some of those were pretty funny, others were pretty damned tasteless. I just zone out the ones that happen to cross my own personal line. I don't ever react to them because it's damn near impossible to offend me.

 

Depends on the subject matter. Sometimes they can get pretty sappy and overly serious and sensitive which may make some people uncomfortable' date=' but if people want to talk things out or express emotions, there's no problem with that in my book.

 

I'd rather people here be able to express themselves than try to turn everything into a joke or some manly avoidance of the issue at hand.

 

If you don't like it, just try to be sensitive to those who do and try not to judge. Nothing wrong with either approach, in my opinion.[/quote']

Yep, I agree completely Josh.

 

Hell, if folks want to inject a little humor to lighten the mood that's just fine by me also. It's important to remember that as adults we are fully aware of when said humor will be taken as good fun and when it's not going to go over well. You want to know what the real problem is in trying to inject humor into a thread like the one dealing with the recent passing Steve Irwin? It's freaking hard as hell to get a read of whether someone is trying to "lighten the mood" or whether that person is just being a heartless prick. So you get overreactions of emotions from people. You know what I mean? It's not so much an issue if we were all having an everyday conversation in the same room with one another.

[foogledricks]

You two are heartless. I will go to your funerals just to point and laugh.

[kelley]

Some people heal with humor, others with crying. I'd say let the people have their choice. Also we have a rule here at LCVG, death threads can only be for C-List celebs and up.

[Starhawk]

I tend to stay out of the death and 9/11 threads (and a good majority of the birthday threads). But if others want them, Im cool with it.

[PoisonJam]

The thing about celebrities that you have to keep in mind, though, is that they do mean different things to different people. It may seem silly or ridiculous for someone to put that much stock in someone else whom they will never personally meet, but people find inspiration in all kinds of things and are hurt when those things go away. You (and I'm speaking generally of course) may think there's nothing wrong with "lightening the mood with a little humor", but that can very easily be seen as callous and cruel on a message board (again, echoing Romier's statement that intent can be almost impossible to determine online). I really think it's best that if someone feels personally touched enough by the passing of someone else to start a "memory" or "tribute" thread about that person on this forum, we should respect that person's feelings and refrain from posting jokes on that thread.

[Camp]

You two are heartless. I will go to your funerals just to point and laugh.

 

What a refreshing funeral that would make. I'm all for it. Consider yourself invited.

[Josh]

What a refreshing funeral that would make. I'm all for it. Consider yourself invited.

 

Hell yeah. My funeral had better be a party with lots of dancing, drinking, and fun. At least that's how I'd want to be remembered by friends and family.

[Bruce B]

Honestly, it spawns literally no emotion out of me when a celebrity dies.

I usually only feel emotion for people I know or for people who died senselessly.(i.e. 9/11)

[JFo]

I tend to stay out of the death and 9/11 threads (and a good majority of the birthday threads). But if others want them, Im cool with it.

 

Same here, Cameron. I don't have a real use for every celebrity death thread that pops up. However, there are many threads that get started here on the forum that don't interest me in the least either. Just because I don't necessarily find any reason to post in the HD DVD vs. Blu-Ray threads doesn't mean that other members can't find them useful. I figure if you want to talk about it and it doesn't break any of the rules, that's perfectly fine by me.

[Cyberwoo]

I would agree about the celebrity deaths for the most part. However I guess for me it depends on how the person died and what type of person he/she was. When I see someone like Steve Irwin die "well before his time" in a freak accident like he did it is sad. Knowing he was such a passionate family man and by all accounts a pretty decent human being is what makes it sad to me. When I saw his little girl talking on tv yesterday (in a rerun of course) about her daddy and how proud she was if him I got a little choked up...I'll always admit to that. Anyone that doesn't have a soft spot for kids is someone I dont want to be associated with.

 

The bottom line is I avoid the threads that dont personally mean anything to me but I will post something if I feel a sense of loss, feel like saying something nice about someone or whatever the case may be.

 

I do understand why some people feel uncomfortable about these types of threads though. Some of them go a bit over the top with the sappy comments that quite frankly just feel "emotionless" and like camp said smell of "well this is the right thing to do and everyone else is doing it so I guess I will". Its near impossible to tell when someone is being genuine and when someone is just going through the motions so I just tell myself everyone is being genuine and keep it at that.

[Jeff W]

I feel the same way about the "death threads" that I feel about the "Where were you when..."

 

I've been staying out of the controller down area because every time I see either of the current 2 "where were you when" threads, I get that damn South Park song stuck in my head and I have to dig it out with a q-tip.

 

"Where were you...when they built that ladder to heaven?" :nutz

[PoisonJam]

Goddammit, Jeff.

 

/goes to look for Q-tips...

[Romier S]

I get that damn South Park song stuck in my head and I have to dig it out with a q-tip.

:lol

[Rainmaykr]

A body should never venture into the untamed world of video game forums without a plan of attack. For instance, you could rank thread topics according to interest or probability that it contains some useful bit of information. Par exemple, in order of importance, starting with most important:

 

6. Anything Microsoft/HD-DVD.

5. Any thread in which Whooter posted.

4. Any thread that got someone banned, or were banned during participation.

3. "Death" threads.

2. Anything Phantom console.

1. Threads about "death" threads.

 

If that same body chose to venture down the ladder, they have no one to blame but themselves.

 

As far as the question of people posting because "it's the right thing to do" - If a person were to err, wouldn't erring on the side of decency the preferred choice? I mean, saying the right thing at the right time is a trait I wish I possessed. Like, "Hey, Glen, wicked good podcast," even though he screwed the pooch with the sound levels and it doesn't matter anyway because as long as he leads the show with that Asian dude it can't be not good.

 

I guess the moral of the story is, if you have something funny to say, say it, because most of us dig the funny stuff.

 

But you're right, it would have been impossible to tell a joke in that Tony Jay thread. First off, no one knew who that was and second there was the fear of being banned.

[Romier S]

but you're right, it would have been impossible to tell a joke in that Tony Jay thread. First off, no one knew who that was and second there was the fear of being banned.

:lol

 

Shit, I've had brought down the banhammer personally.

 

 

4. Any thread that got someone banned, or were banned during participation.

I'm at least happy to say that those are few and far between (and I hope to keep it that way).